MELAKA: A couple peddling drug-laced soft drinks for RM300 per bottle and health drinks for RM150 were detained by Melaka police.

Melaka Tengah OCPD Asst Comm Christopher Patit said the 34-year-old man and his 28-year-old wife, who is a foreigner, were detained in two separate locations at Bandar Hilir on Jan 21.

"The couple was believed to have mixed the substances into the bottle of branded instant drinks in the market to evade the authorities and sold for wild parties and at entertainment centres here," he said on Wednesday(Jan 25).

ACP Christopher Patit said an investigation showed that the couple had obtained the drugs in large quantities from syndicates in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru before mixing and repackaging them as instant drinks to be marketed here.

He said the seized drugs could be used for 3,669 addicts.

ACP Patit said his team also confiscated various substances including ketamine, Ecstacy pills, Eramin 5 pills, and ganja that all worth RM200,000.

He said police also confiscated a car, cash and other items totalling RM25,680 from the couple.

ACP Christopher Patit said the results of the urine tests conducted on the couple found them to be negative and both had no previous criminal records, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.